This morning’s snow is turning out to be a bit of an overachiever, with many areas likely to get more than 1″. The flakes are fat -creating beautiful snow globe-like scenes. For the most part, the snow should be more of a spectacle than a hazard, but a few slick spots are possible when it falls heavily.

Radar & lightning: Latest D.C. area radar shows movement of precipitation and lightning strikes over past two hours. Refresh page to update. Click here or on image to enlarge. Or see radar bigger on our Weather Wall.

Key points:

Snow continues into the lunch hour – moderate to heavy at times; then it begins to taper off from west to east.

By around 2 p.m., the snow should be mostly over, save some scattered flurries. No problems for the afternoon commute.

Temperatures: 30-32 through late morning, gradually rising above freezing by early afternoon

Accumulations should be around 1-3″ (updated, 10:45 a.m.) 1″ (with isolated higher amounts), mainly on grassy areas; however, some slushy accumulation could occur on roads, especially in our colder north and west suburbs.

Follow the latest updates below.

1:05 p.m. update: Snow is now decreasing in Southern Maryland and will depart by 2 p.m. A few flurries could fly this afternoon throughout the metro region but accumulating snow is over. High temperatures will be chilly, ranging from 34-38.

12:30 p.m. update: Aside from scattered flurries and light snow showers, snow has ended from the District and points north. It continues south of the District and east of I-95, and is mostly concentrated in southern Maryland, where it should taper by 2 p.m. Some more pics, from the last 30 minutes:

12:05 p.m. update: Radar shows the snow has diminished quite a bit north of Rt. 50 and especially into western Fairfax and western Montgomery counties. But it’s going strong in southern Prince William, Stafford, Charles, southern Calvert, and northern St. Mary’s counties – which have another 1 to 2 hours of steady snow to go from west to east.

11:40 a.m. update: Snow is tapering off in Loudoun County and will generally decrease in coverage and intensity in D.C.’s northern suburbs and inside the Beltway over the next hour. Most accumulation is done in this area.

But the snow continues to fall moderately south of the Beltway. Locations from southern Fauquier through southern Prince William and Stafford counties into southern Maryland may pick up another 1-2 inches before the snow exits there between 1 and 2 p.m.

11:15 a.m. update: The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory through 2 p.m. for the metro region for 1-3 inches of snow, although most of this accumulation has already occurred.

11:05 a.m. update: Radar shows band of heaviest snow from southern Fauquier through central Prince William County to around Old Town, Alexandria. It’s this zone that will likely end up with some 2-3 inch totals. To the northwest, snow is decreasing in intensity. By noon, some of our far western areas should see the snow tapering off from Loudoun to western Montgomery county.

10:45 a.m. update: Reports coming in suggest 0.5-1″ of snow is most common, but up to 1-2″ of snow have fallen southwest of the District, where a heavy band has set up from Alexandria southwest through Prince William County and into southern Fauquier County. Could someone even see 3″ before it all ends? Possible. Here’s my summary of reports: Loudoun and Montgomery County: 0.5-1″, Fairfax County: 1-1.5″, Prince William County 1-2″, D.C./Arlington/PG County: around 1″

10:30 a.m. update: For the most part, the snow is accumulating on grassy areas not streets. However, there have been some reports of some slush building up on side roads, and in between lanes on major roads, when the snow falls steadily.

10:05 a.m. update: Snow continues to fall steadily across the region, although radar shows the heaviest activity collapsing to the south into Fauquier and Prince William County. I continue to think 1″ will be the most common snow total from this little event – mainly on grass – but some 2″ totals can’t be ruled out, especially southwest of town. More pictures:

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